Zaleski was born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania in 1927 and attended Warren Consolidated High School in Tiltonsville, Ohio.
[2] After leaving the Marine Corps, he attended the University of Dayton from 1947 to 1951, where he played on the football team as the starting quarterback for two years.
[6] In 1958, Zaleski was hired as an assistant coach for his former team, the Blue Bombers,[7] winning the Grey Cup in 1959, 1961 and 1962.
He remained in this position with Winnipeg until 1967 when he was named the team's head coach, replacing Bud Grant.
[8][9] He married Louise Ann Savanyo of Tiltonsville, Ohio, around 1952 with whom he had five children, including a son, Slater, who played in the CFL.